Swirling Tide

Morning after

Victoria

My eyes flutter open slowly still being held down by just how tired I was. When my eyes fully open they acknowledge the small brunette cuddled up next to me sleeping. I smile feeling her squirm slightly in my arms. God, Ive gone, soft, havent I? I ask myself resting my chin softly on Maxs head. I reach behind me and check the time 8:00 am Saturday. I put my phone back and try to fall back asleep but when Max starts shaking and squirming more than she had in the last few minutes I just couldnt. I figured she was having a nightmare so I just held her close and whispered a soft shush into her ear. None of this worked and she shot up in bed screaming my name.

"Victoria!" Max looks around terrified but when her eyes fall on me they fill with tears. "Oh my god ...you're ok... he...he shot you, Tori, you died. I held Max close and drew circles on her back with my fingers.

"What are you talking about Max?" I ask trying to figure out what she was having a nightmare about.

"Jefferson he shot you right in front of me." Max continues to cry on my shoulder, soaking the shoulder but I dont care.

"Shhh, baby it's ok, I'm ok, I'm alive and here with you." Max and I stay like this for awhile until Dana comes into my room and see us. I shoo her away and tell her I will talk if she tells no one. She agrees and leaves closing the door. "Come on lets go to the hick diner you love, Two Whales, right?"

"Yeah ok..." Max gets off me and walks to the door. I walk over to give her a kiss and she leaves my room.

Max

I was sitting in the dark room again, Nathan was standing on the other side of the camera. I look around and see Victoria strapped to another chair with Jefferson holding a gun against her head. My mouth is taped over so all I can do is watch.

"Maxine, you love her just like you did that punk bitch that Nathan killed. You let her die, you know you did, and now you get to watch someone else you love die." Jefferson says grinning manically at me. He pulls back the hammer on the revolver and stares at me. He pulls the trigger making Victorias blood and brains splatter all over the white couch and floor.

"Victoria!" I scream shooting up in bed, I look around terrified, not really knowing where I was, but when My eyes fall on Tori they fill with tears. "Oh my god... you're ok... he...he shot you, Tori, you died." She held me close and drew circles on my back with her fingers.

"What are you talking about Max?" She asks worrying about me.

"Jefferson he shot you right in front of me." I continue to cry on her shoulder, soaking the shoulder of her shirt.

"Shhh, baby its ok, I'm ok, I'm alive and here with you." Victoria says comforting me. I sit there replaying the scene over and over in my head. I didnt notice Dana come in Tori told me about her later. Victoria asks if I want to go to Two Whales.

"Yeah ok..." I say still seeing her die in my head. I walk to the door she gives me a quick kiss and I leave to go change. I walk into my room and remember all the things that had happened in the other universe. I wanted to cry but I promised myself that I would stay as strong as I could so I held in my tears and put on plain black jeans, and a light blue shirt with a white dear on the back. I grab my generic hoodie and head back over to Victoria's room.

"Come in. She says through the door. I open it and she had also changed, she was wearing an expensive looking blouse that was light pink with roses all over it and a plain black skirt.

"Wowsers Tori you look amazing." I say grabbing her waist and pulling her close.

"That isn't my style but you look good too, those jeans hide your butt though so we have to get you new ones soon. We should go shopping over the holiday break unless you arent here. I will be and it would be just us and a few other people but they wouldn't even be in this dorm." She gives me a small pout and her eyes are definitely asking me to stay over the break.

"I'll ask my parents but if they say no I'll ask if I can bring you. We can go to the mall in the city." I say and give her a kiss on the cheek and I have to drag her out of the door and to the diner. On the way there I call my parents they want me home for the holidays but they say I can bring Tori so it won't be that bad.

"So, Maxine, what did they say?" Vic asks keeping her eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"They said that they want me home for the holidays but I can bring you and they don't know that we are dating so we kinda have to tell them as soon as we get there. They will be cool about it, I know they will my eldest brother was gay and they loved him." We pull into the parking lot of the diner and get out of the car and walk inside. I take Vic to my normal booth and Joyce walks over. Lucky for us she didnt know that Victoria was involved with Nathan so we wont have to worry about that.

"Why hello Max, who is this?" She asks pouring both me and Tori coffee.

"Joyce, this is my girlfriend Victoria." She and Vic shake hands and we have a small chat about school and she takes our order and yells it to the back. Me and Victoria have a small conversation and dont have a worry in the world about anyone spotting us. But as soon as I pull away from a kiss Warren walks in and sees us. He walks over to our table and leans on his arms.

"Well, Ill be damned Victoria Chase, Queen Bitchtoria as most like to call you is dating Max Caulfield or as you would like to normally call her "Wannabee hipster trash" and an assortment of many other names."

"Warren you better fucking stop I swear I will sue your entire family into poverty if you dont leave us the hell alone." Victoria scowls at him not even looking at him.

"Ok, damn Vic." He backs away putting his arms in the air as if he was surrendering.

"Victoria for you only Max can call me by any nickname and if you tell anyone you will have the fate as before." I hold her hand trying to keep her from beating the shit out of him.

"Fine, fine whatever bitch." Warren walks to the other side of the diner and sits down facing away from us. Joyce walks over and gives us our food. We eat quickly, Vic pays and we leave not making any contact with Warren. We drive back to school and the next month of school and keeping our relationship secret goes well.